Petrol Crisis Poll

Sunday 05 November 2000

• MORI interviewed 1,002 British adults aged 18+
• Interviews were conducted by telephone on 2-3 November 2000
• Results are based on all respondents unless stated
• Data are weighted to the known population profile
• An '*' indicates a finding of less than 0.5%, but greater than zero
• Poll conducted by MORI on behalf of The Mail on Sunday

QV1 How would you vote if there were a General Election tomorrow?
If undecided or refused at Q1

QV2 Which party are you most inclined to support?

Q1 Since the Labour Government was elected in 1997, do you think you are personally paying more tax, less tax, or about the same amount?

Q2 I am going to read out a number of different public services. For each, please tell me whether you think the public service has got better or worse under this Government, or has it stayed the same?

Q3 People have different views about whether it is more important to reduce taxes or keep up government spending. How about you? Which of these statements comes closest to your own view?

Q4 Overall, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way Mr Blair, the Prime Minister, has handled the issue of fuel prices and petrol shortages?

Q5 Overall, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way Mr Hague, the Conservative Leader, has handled the issue of fuel prices and petrol shortages?

Q6 Do you think that the farmers and others who blockaded oil refineries in September to protest against the high price of petrol were right or wrong to take direct action in this way?

Q7 As you may be aware, when the blockade ended the farmers and other protestors set a 60 day deadline for the Government to meet the protestors demands for reduced petrol taxes. If the Government does not reduce petrol taxes within 60 days, would you support or oppose the protestors blockading oil refineries again?

Q8 Do you think the government should or should not reduce the current level of taxes on petrol?

Q9 Economists estimate that for every 2p reduction in petrol tax, revenue for the Treasury will be reduced by roughly £1billion. Bearing this information in mind by how many pence in the pound do you think petrol tax should be reduced, if at all?

I am now going to read out two statements. Please tell me which comes closest to your personal opinion.

If the Government did have to raise money from other sources, would you support or oppose the following measures.

Q11Tax foreign lorry drivers who use Britain's roads

Q12 Introduce road levies or tolls to enter city centres

Q13 If the fuel shortages were to continue so long as to be a real threat to the delivery of food to the shops, do you think the government would be right or wrong to use the armed forces to force through fuel deliveries?

Q14 On a different subject. It has been suggested that the Royal Crest on current British passports be replaced by a design common to all European Union countries. Would you support or oppose this change?